Journal: Frontiers in Microbiology

Article Title: Resistant Maltodextrin Intake Reduces Virulent Metabolites in the Gut Environment: A Randomized Control Study in a Japanese Cohort

doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.644146

Figure Lengend Snippet: Experimental design of the study and comprehensive analysis of gut microbiome and metabolome profiles. (A) Flow diagram of the double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel group study. Fecal and blood samples were collected 0 and 24 weeks after test food (resistant maltodextrin: RMD) or control food (normal maltodextrin: MD) intervention. Gut microbiome and metabolome analyses, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and blood tests were conducted. (B) Box plot representing distribution of unweighted UniFrac distance for the gut microbiome profiles among the samples from different subjects at the same time point (inter 0 week) and the distance between the samples from the same subject in the control group and RMD group (** p < 0.005, *** p < 0.0005; the Dunn’s test). (C) Box plot representing the distribution of the Spearman’s correlation distance for intestinal metabolome profiles among the samples from different subjects at the same time point (inter 0 week) and the distance between the samples from the same subject in the control group and RMD group (** p < 0.005, *** p < 0.0005; the Dunn’s test).

Article Snippet: The intestinal environment was assessed by a metabologenomics approach, involving 16S rRNA gene-based microbiome analysis and mass spectrometry-based metabolome analysis.

Techniques: Maltodextrin, Control

Journal: Journal of Neuroinflammation

Article Title: The gut microbiota limits systemic inflammation during neurotrophic viral CNS infection by priming tonic type I interferon signaling

doi: 10.1186/s12974-025-03579-0

Figure Lengend Snippet: Abx-induced dysbiosis of gut microbiome impairs tonic IFN-I innate responses. A Colon length in vehicle and Abx-treated mice. The colon photos represent one of seven C57BL/6 mice treated with vehicle and vehicle supplemented with VNAM for 7 days. Colon index denotes the length per gram of colon weight. B Colon histology and villus length in Abx-treated mice. Paraffin-embedded sections of colon Swiss rolls were stained with H&E, and images were obtained at × 100 magnification. The villus length was measured and recorded for each of seven villi in each mouse ( n = 3) using Image J ( https://imagej.net/ij/ ). C 16S rDNA copy number in feces. The 16 s rDNA copy number was measured using real-time qPCR on genomic DNA extracted from the feces of Abx-treated mice. D Bacterial load in the feces of Abx-treated mice. The bacterial load was determined by spreading PBS-dispersed fecal samples onto agar plates selective for Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and anaerobic bacteria. E The levels of IFN-I proteins in sera. The levels of IFN-I (IFN-α/β) proteins were measured by ELISA using serum collected from Abx-treated mice both prior to and one day after JEV infection. F Functional levels of IFN-I in sera. The functional levels of IFN-I were determined by an IFN bioassay using serum collected from Abx-treated mice both prior to and one day after JEV infection. G Expression of IFN-I mRNA in peripheral tissues. Expression of IFN-I (IFN-α/β) mRNA was determined by real-time qRT-PCR using total RNAs extracted from the indicated tissue at 0 dpi. H Heat map for the expression of ISGs, IRFs, and RLRs in the spleen, liver, and colon of Abx-treated mice. The expression levels of ISGs, IRFs, and RLRs were determined by real-time qRT-PCR using total RNA extracted from the spleen, liver, and colon of Abx-treated mice. The expression of each ISGs, IRFs, and RLRs was normalized to β-actin, and displayed as the average of at least four independent samples, according to the indicated color on a log 2 scale. The graphs denote the average ± SEM of the representative levels derived from at least two independent experiments ( n = 5–6). Statistical significance was assessed by unpaired Student’s t -test in comparison with the vehicle group ( p < 0.05; * p < 0.01; ** p < 0.001)

Article Snippet: The samples were amplified classical PCR, using bacterial 16S rDNA Primer [FW 5’-AGAGTTTGATCCTGGCTCAG-3’; RV 5’-CTGCTGCCTCCCGTA-3’] (Bioneer, Daejeon, Korea).

Techniques: Staining, Bacteria, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay, Infection, Functional Assay, Bioassay, Expressing, Quantitative RT-PCR, Derivative Assay, Comparison